High-flying
fellow divides his time between stem cell research and guard duties
as a flight surgeon

By
NEALE MULLIGAN

The
life of Daniel Kraft, MD, moves from one extreme to another. As a
fellow in hematology/oncology and bone marrow transplantation, he
conducts stem cell and immunotherapy research in the lab of Irv
Weissman, MD, enjoying the quiet solitude of work at the
bench.

Kraft’s other life, however, is far from quiet: sitting
in the back seat of a fighter jet, roaring through the sky at
speeds up to 900 miles an hour.

Daniel
Kraft, shown with an F-16 used to patrol California’s
airspace, is both a stem cell and immunology researcher at Stanford
and a California Air National Guard flight surgeon. PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL
KRAFT

Kraft serves as a flight surgeon with the California Air
National Guard based in Fresno, home to the 144th Fighter Wing. "I
wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was a kid," said Kraft. "I
didn’t have 20/20 vision starting out, so this is the only
other way to get into the fighter cockpit."

The
fighter wing’s mission is to provide F-16 air defense
protection for California from the Mexican border to
Ukiah.

Kraft, whose rank is captain, is among several physicians who
spend one weekend a month with the squadron. They provide health
care and monitor safety for squadron pilots and other personnel.
"This is a unique opportunity to combine my passions: medicine and
flying," he said.

Kraft’s love of flying dates back to 1972 when, as a
4-year-old, his parents took him to the Kennedy Space Center to
watch the Apollo 17 liftoff. Years later while on a clerkship at
the Johnson Space Center, Kraft met Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene
Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon. Perhaps it’s only
appropriate that Kraft’s tactical "call sign," assigned by
his squadron pilots, is "Space," making him "Space
Kraft."

"From a very young age, I have always been an enthusiast of
planes and space," said Kraft. "During college, I had a chance to
combine my interest in biology and aerospace with a summer at the
Kennedy Space Center. During medical school at Stanford, I managed
to work at NASA Ames on a small research project, as well as work
with a Stanford engineering class designing manned space flight
missions to Mars. I’ve maintained an interest in aerospace
medicine and I’ve been a pilot since my freshman year at
Brown."

As
part of his flight surgeon training, Kraft has learned about
aerospace physiology, biological and chemical warfare, aircraft
systems and air-to-air combat. Best of all, he has to fly with his
squadron to learn the stresses and on-the-job reality of pilots who
fly high-performance combat aircraft.

"Pilots are under a lot of physical stress especially when jets
merge and get into a dogfight mode," said Kraft. "There’s
yanking and banking, twisting your head around while pulling a lot
of Gs, sometimes for prolonged periods of time. We wear G-suits and
positive-pressure breathing regulators that help maintain blood
flow to your brain, but it’s really exhausting. My role is to
hang on in the back seat during combat training missions, fly the
jet when they let me and observe all this."

Kraft initially joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard
during his residency at Harvard because he "thought it would be a
lot of fun," but he also discovered it was a growth experience.
"I’ve seen a whole other aspect and way of life, and travel,
and work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Kraft’s travels with the Guard have taken him to the
Middle East when he was deployed two years ago in Saudi Arabia to
assist with no-fly missions over southern Iraq. "It was a real eye
opener to see how much work and personnel and how much separation
from loved ones were involved in this mission which has been going
on for more than 10 years."

If
the United States goes to war with Iraq, it is unlikely
Kraft’s Fresno squadron would be deployed overseas
immediately since its primary mission is homeland
defense.

Kraft noted, however, "It’s possible we could be deployed
to backfill spots in the United States for physicians sent overseas
— or be sent to provide medical support at airbases
overseas."